Method of and container for treating tobacco to reduce alkaloid and tar content thereof

ABSTRACT

A method of reducing the nicotine and tar content of the smoke of tobacco consists of exposing said tobacco to weak radiation of 50 to 200 c.p.m./cm.2 from a radioactive material. The tobacco to be irradiated is located in a special container which is provided with a perforated plate or sheet form of radioactive material. The radioactive material can, if desired, be coated onto the surface of the plate.

United States Patent Inventors Tomizo Aoki 191|uso Higashinocho 3 Chome, Higashiyodogawaku, Osaka-511i; Nagayoshi Nishida, 26 Hashimoto Okunocho, Yawatachn, Kyoto-hi, both of,

Japan Appl. No. 679,805 Filed Nov. 1. 1967 Patented June 29, 1971 METHOD OF AND CONTAINER FOR TREATING TOBACCO TO REDUCE ALKALOID AND TAR CONTENT THEREOF 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

Primary Examiner-Melvin D. Rein Altorney- Jacobs & Jacobs ABSTRACT: A method of reducing the nicotine and tar content of the smoke of tobacco consists of exposing said tobacco U.S. Cl ..1 t. 131/121, to weak radiation of 50 to 200 c.p.m./cm. from a radioactive 131/4, 131/143 material. The tobacco to be irradiated is located in a special Int. Cl ..1 A241) 15/02 container which is provided with a perforated plate or sheet Field of Search 131/121, form of radioactive material. The radioactive material can, if

143. 4, 15, 140 desired, be coated onto the surface of the plate.

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INVENTORS METHOD OF AND CONTAINER FOR TREATING TOBACCO TO REDUCE ALKALOID AND TAR CONTENT THEREOF This invention relates to a novel method of reducing nicotine alkaloid and other harmful constituents, for example hydrocarbon compounds and the like, which are contained in the smoke of tobacco such as are available in the form of cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobaccos, and which substances are existent in the tangible form of concentrated tar substances.

The harmful effects upon health of the nicotine alkaloid and the substances contained in the tobaccos are too well known to need any special description. In order to reduce the harmful constituents there have been employed various methods among which the use of a tar-removing pipe, and a filter for cigarettes, are considered as conventional ones. As is well known, filter-tipped cigarettes are convenient for smokers in that the filters are attached beforehand to each cigarette as an integral part of the cigarette, but on the other hand the production of such cigarettes is rather I troublesome for cigarette makers. The arrangement of the tar-removing pipe comprises inserting in the pipe a replaceable smoke-filtering agent such as silica gel, or filtering the harmful constituents of smoke throughspecial smokeducts. In most cases replacement of the filtering agent is troublesome, and where smoke ducts are used, even light smoking can result in their clogging up. On the other hand it seems that various efforts have been recently made toward the reduction of nicotine alkaloid in tobacco and as such there may be employed a method of volatilizing nicotine alkaloid by increasing the temperature of the processing stage of tobacco leaves. This has the disad vantage of reducing the fragrance and flavor of the tobacco.

An object of the invention is to provide'a novel and convenient method of reducing nicotine alkaloid and tar substances in tobaccos, without the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Accordingly, the present invention is a method of reducing the nicotine alkaloid and tar content of the smoke of tobacco by exposing said tobacco to weak radiation from a radioactive material.

The radiation used in this invention is weak radiation from a radioactive substance, said radiation being irradiated on tobaccos thereby to obtain the desired object. The radiation according to the invention can be derived from either natural or artificial radioactive substances, such as uranium ores and thorium ores, in the case of natural radioactive substances, and uranyl acetate or uranyl nitrate in the case of artificial radioactive substances. In one form of the invention these radioactive substances are deposited in the form of an emulsion, suspension or solution onto the surface of base material such as paper, cloth, synthetic resin sheet, or metal sheets, and the sheet of radioactive substances thus obtained are cut into size large enough to irradiate several cigarettes or pieces of tobacco when placed adjacent to the sheet. In one embodiment the sheet of base material containing the radioactive substance is placed within a cigarette case or container of essentially conventional design, such that the sheet is adjacent to cigarettes carried therein. The radioactive material can stand continued use over a long period, as long as the base material itselfis not broken.

Alternatively, the radiation treatment can be applied to various types of tobacco at a suitable stage of the manufactun ing process.

The invention offers a great advantage to smokers and manufacturers in that it reduces the harmful constituents of tobacco without the addition of such items as filters to an individual cigarette or piece of tobacco. Furthermore, it reduces the harmful constituents to a greater degree when used in combination with the conventional type of filter-tipped cigarettes or tar-removing pipes.

Another feature of the invention worthy of mention is that the flavor and fragrance inherent in tobacco itselfare not affected by the reduction of the harmful constituents, but are preserved with an added sense of mildness. That is to say, in tobaccos treated according to the invention, the sensitive tongue can sense the considerable reduction of stimulus peculiar to the presence of nicotine alkaloid in tobacco.

Two preferred embodiments of tobacco container suitable for carrying out the process of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of a first embodiment of a cigarette case, with its lid shown open;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken along line X-X of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a radiation piece, broken in part, of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a cigarette case;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line Y-Y of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a radiation piece, broken in part, of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of apparatus suitable for use in determining the nicotine alkaloid content of tobacco smoke;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of another such apparatus; and

FIG. 9 is a graphical representation in which the oxidation velocity curve of the cigarette leaves treated with the radioactive rays according to the invention is illustrated by comparison with that of the cigarette leaves not treated.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a cigarette case in which cigarettes are to be contained. A radiation piece 1 is fixed inside the case, said radiation piece being designed to keep cigarettes arranged in a row thereon by means of a keep bar 4. This radiation piece 1 consists of a radioactive substance deposited on the surface or underside ofa metal sheet base piece 2. Alternatively, paper, cloth or synthetic resin sheets may be used. The radioactive substance comprises fine powders of uranium ores namely pitchblende and pegmatite, and thorium ore namely monazite, said fine powders being dispersed homogeneously in an adhesive extender 6 in such a manner that the fine powders in the extender are applied over the surface of said base piece 2 and dried. Single ores can be used if preferred. Alternatively, a solution of uranyl acetate or uranyl nitrate dissolved in water or a solvent is applied to the base piece 2 and dried. The base piece 2 may be provided with a multiplicity of fine holes 8 as shown in the drawings if necessary, so that radiation may readily pass through these holes 8 from the underside of the base piece 2. When the radioactive substance is deposited on the surface or underside of a base piece made of paper or cloth, there is no necessity to provide fine holes 8.

Substances capable of use as an adhesive extender 6 include synthetic resin adhesives such as polyvinyl alcohol, urea resin, epoxy resin, polyester resin, or natural adhesives such as glue, casein and starch. Such substances are dissolved or emulsified and mixed with the fine powders of said ores and stirred, be

fore applying the mixture thus obtained over the surface of the base piece 2. The adhesive extender S in this case described with reference to the figures has the dual purpose of depositing said fine powders 5 on the base piece 2 and fixing said base piece 2, namely the radiation piece 1, inside the cigarette case.

The amount of fine powders 5 to be applied varies depending upon the kind of ores, and experiments show that the use of 0.05 to 0.07 g./cm. has fully attained the desired object. The strength of radiation obtainable through the use of this small quantity is 50 to 200 -c.p.m./cm. (count per minute/cm). The radiation piece 1 is approximately equivalent in size to a cigarette case, for example 60 to cm. In practice this strength of radiation is weakened in inverse proportion to the square of distance between the surface over which the radioactive substance is applied and the cigarettes 3, and when the substance is applied over the underside of the base piece 2, the radiation further decreases, so

that the radiation piece I is effectively disposed as near the cigarettes as possible. The cigarette case thus made and shown in the drawings has an effect on the contents thereof in such a manner that the radioactive substance on the underside of the radiation piece 1 passes through the fine holes 8 or penetrates through the base plate 2 and irradiates the cigarettes 3 on the radiation piece 1. This amount of radiation, which can have no detrimental effect on the human body even if the body is exposed to the radiation, can be further shielded by closing the cover 7 of the cigarette case.

As apparent from the results of experiments with this cigarette case, a description of which experiments will be made hereinbelow, several hours storage of cigarettes in the case brings about an appreciable reduction in the amount of nicotine alkaloid. So far as feeling at the tip of the tongue of the smoker is concerned, such a reduction in alkaloid can be felt after a short time of exposure of the cigarettes-say l minutes-to the radiation. Nevertheless, the cigarettes undergo little or no change in their fragrance and flavor.

In FIGS. 4 to 6 is shown an alternative cigarette package. The cigarette package is adapted to contain cigarettes together with their immediate pack, or some or all cigarettes may be taken out of their immediate pack and placed direct in the cigarette package. The package is provided externally with a casing 9 made of synthetic resin. Cardboard or some other suitable material may alternatively be used. A radiation piece 10 is disposed on the inner surface of the casing 99. The radiation piece 10 may be similar to the one used in the previously described embodiment, but the radiation piece 10 shown herein comprises a synthetic resin base piece 12 on which is deposited a 3 to percent w/w aqueous or solvent solution 11 of uranyl acetate or uranyl nitrate. The radiation piece thus obtained is inserted in the casing 9 and fixed therein in such a manner that the radioactive surface faces the cigarettes 3 when they are put in the casing 9. When the cigarettes together with their pack are put into the casing, the radiation from the surface of the radiation piece it) penetrates the pack of cigarettes and irradiates the cigarettes thereby to achieve the intended object of the invention. If desired, a cap may be placed on the casing 9 and this may be desirable to prevent leakage of radiation.

In the embodiment described the object of the invention is achieved by fixing a radiation piece insidea casing or package, and hence the apparatus required'is very simple in structure and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost by selecting a suitable low-price radioactive substance. Also the radiation piece is effective over a long period, so that proper selection of the material to be used as the base piece should be based on permanent use being intended.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the use of the two embodiments described, but that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, besides the radioactive substances described above, an iron-uranium alloy and uranium containing glass can be used as radioactive substances. The radiation piece may be kept not merely in a tobacco container but also kept adjacent to the cigarettes at any suitable stage of the manufacturing process of cigarettes. Also a plurality of radiation pieces may be used instead of one piece or they may be used in the form ofa cylindrical body that surrounds the cigarettes.

The following examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the method of the present invention:

EXAMPLE I One type of measuring apparatus for measuring nicotine alkaloid content in the smoke of cigarettes is shown in FIG. 7 in which the reference character C indicates a cigarette and B indicates a pipe which is provided inside thereof with a spiral blade F made of glass and having a mouthpiece holding the cigarette C. The other end of this pipe is inserted into the bottom of an absorption tube S which is one of three absorption tubes 8., S and 5,; arranged in series. Fifty cc. in total of ethyl alcohol L to be used as a smoke-absorbent liquid was divided into equal amounts and poured into the absorption tubes 3,, S and 5;, which were connected with one another by means of connecting pipes C so that the smoke which was not absorbed exclusively by one absorption tube might be led into the next absorption tube. The end of the connecting pipe G was connected to a suction pump D through a flowmeter E for use in flow regulation. When the testing apparatus described was operated with a lighted cigarette inserted into the mouthpiece thereof, the smoke of the cigarette C was sucked by pump D through the pipe B into the absorbent liquid L contained in three absorption tubes 8,, S and S by the suction pump, whereby a greater part of the nicotine alkaloid contained in the absorbent liquid L was dissolved in the liquid L and part of the nicotine alkaloid was deposited on the spiral vane F of the pipe B, the inner walls of the pipe 8, and the absorption tubes S S and S Therefore, estimation of the nicotine alkaloid content of the absorbent liquid L plus washings from the inner walls of the pipe B and the absorption tubes 8,, S and 8;, represents the nicotine content of the smoke. In this test another 50 cc. of ethyl alcohol apart from that used as the absorbent liquid was used as the washing liquid, and after the inner walls of the portions other than those of the pipe B having the spiral vane F therein had been washed, 50 cc. of the washing liquid was added to 50 cc. of the absorbent liquid to make cc. in total. The amount of alkaloid dissolved in the 100 cc. of the liquid was calculated. The number of cigarettes C used in the test was 10 pieces for each test given below, the burning velocity of each cigarette was 5 cm. for 3 minutes and each cigarette that was burnt 5 cm. was replaced by a new one. This proceeding was continued until 10 cigarettes were used up. The brand of the cigarettes used was PEACE commercially obtainable from Japan Monopoly Corporation. The data thus obtained are itemized in table 1:

Note: Sample 1 represents cigarettes not treated by the method of the invention; sample 2 represents cigarettes exposed to radiation of about 50 c.p.m./cm. for 2 hours in accordance with the invention; sample 3 represents cigarettes exposed to radiation of about c.p.m./cm. for 2 hours,

As apparent from table I, the cigarettes exposed to the radiation show a reduction in nicotine alkaloid. Although very weak radiation of about 50 c.p.m./cm. has brought about no marked effect, the radiation of 150 c.p.m/cm. shows an appreciable reduction of 27 percent. It can be easily realized that an extended period of time for irradiation will effect a further reduction and such longer times of exposure would be normally achieved when carrying a typical days supply of cigarettes in a cigarette case of the type described above.

The amount of nicotine alkaloid shown in table I is less than the true total amount in each case because the content of the pipe B which had not be washed was not measured.

EXAMPLE 2 FIG. 3 shows another measuring apparatus for nicotine alkaloid content. In the figure, A indicates a pipe with which to hold a cigarette C at one end. There are 6 potash bulbs H H H H H H connected to one another and the other end of the pipe A is inserted into the bottom of bulb H,. Each of the potash bulbs contains 5 cc. (30 cc. in total) of O.lN of H 50 The potash bulbs are connected to one another by means of connecting pipes G for feeding the smoke not absorbed by one bulb to the next bulb. The outlet pipe of the last bulb l i is connected through a silica gel tube J to a suction pump D. The reference character K indicates a flowmeter; M, a cock; N, a pressure regulating valve. When the apparatus is supplied with a lighted cigarette and the suction pump D is operated, the smoke of the cigarette C is sucked into the absorbent liquid in the potash bulbs H H H H,,, H and H connected in series with the pipes A, passed through the pipes A and then through the silica gel tube J, and finally sucked into the suction pump D.

After smoking" the necessary number of cigarettes, the 30 M total amount of the bulbs containing nicotine was mixed with 70 cc. 0.1N H 50. with which the inner walls of the potash bulbs were washed, to obtain 100 cc. of 0. 1 N of H 50..

The amount of the nicotine alkaloid dissolved in said 100 cc. was estimated. Twenty cigarettes C were used in each of the herein-described tests and the burning velocity of the cigarette was 1 cm. per minute. When the cigarette was burnt 5 cm., cock M was stopped and the burnt cigarette was replaced by a new one until all the cigarettes were used. The brand of the cigarettes used was HIKARP' commercially obtainable from Japan Monopoly Corporation. Recourse was had to the cation exchange paper invented by Prof. Witkowski of Poznan University of Poland for the method of detecting the nicotine alkaloid in said 100 cc. of liquid of H 50 The results of the Reduction of alkaloid (percent) 0 Note: Sample 4 represents a cigarette not treated by the method according to the invention; and sample 5 represents a cigarette exposed to radiation of about 100 c.p.m./cm. for 2 hours.

It will be understood from the results of the tests for nicotine alkaloid shown in the examples I and 2 described above that the nicotine alkaloid content of the smoke of tobacco was reduced in substantial degree by the action of weak radiation. Each of the two tests was carried out on cigarettes exposed on average for a shorter time to radiation than would be the normal case where cigarettes were stored in a cigarette case of the type earlier described, from which it is apparent that an even greater reduction of alkaloid would normally be achieved by use of such cigarette cases,

EXAMPLE 3 TABLE 3 Wave length, n Sample 4 Sample 5 As is apparent from the table, the cigarettes treated in accordance with this invention (i.e. sample 5) demonstrate that the tar content has become smaller than those not treated.

EXAMPLE 4 (Test on oxidation velocity) The effect which the application of weak radioactive rays to cigarettes would have on the quality of cigarettes was examined by way of oxidation. One hundred and twenty-five c.p.m/cm. of radioactive rays on average was applied to three cigarettes of PEACE commercially obtainable from Japan Monopoly Corporation by bringing the cigarettes into contact with Monazite sands for 20 hours. The three cigarettes thus treated and three more cigarettes that had not been treated and three more cigarettes that had not been treated were respectively heated and decocted in a mixture of 20 cc. of methanol and 20 cc. of water. The oxidation velocity of each of the decoctions thus obtained was measured by Warburg's constant volume manometer. Measurement of the oxidation velocity of each of the decoctions brought about curves a and 1; shown in FIG. 9. The temperature of the thermostatic oven in which the decoctions were contained was 30 C. As apparent from the graphical representation, the oxidation velocity of the leaves of the cigarettes treated with the radioactive rays is invariably higher than that of the cigarettes not treated. The cigarette leaves have changed in quality through the radioactive rays applied. From this fact it can be deduced that the cigarette leaves treated are more liable to burn than those not treated, in other words, the harmful effects of cigarettes due to their incomplete combustion can be reduced in so much the more degree.

The range of radiation preferred for the method of this invention is between 50 c.p.m./cm. and 200 c.p.m./cm. more preferably, c.p.m./cm. to c.p.m./cm. Levels below this range are of course effective, but in this case an extended period of time must be given to irradiation before the desired effect is obtained. On the other hand. excess radiation, for example, radiation of 200 c.p.m./cm. over a period of 2 hours tends to reduce the flavor of tobacco.

What we claim is:

l. A method of reducing the nicotine alkaloid and tar content of the smoke of tobacco by exposing said tobacco in a form ready to be smoked and in a container therefor to weak radiation of 50 to 200 c.p.m./cm. from a radioactive material selected from uranium ores, thorium ores, uranyl acetate, urany] nitrate, uranium alloy and uranium glass.

2. The apparatus A tobacco container for exposing tobacco in a form to be smoked to radiation according to and in the amount of the method of claim 1, which comprises a cigarette case or package having a source of natural or artificial radioactive material therein, means in plate or sheet form for supporting the radioactive material, and means for supporting the tobacco in proximity therewith.

3. The tobacco container according to claim 2 wherein said means for supporting the radioactive material is a sheet of metal or paper or cloth or synthetic resin and a powder of said radioactive material, dispersed in an adhesive, is deposited over one surface thereof.

4. The apparatus tobacco container according to claim 3 wherein a solution of the radioactive material is applied to a sheet of synthetic resin and said sheet is dried and perforated whereby radiation from said radioactive material reaches the tobacco via the perforations.

5. The according to claim 3 wherein the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, urea resin, epoxy resin, polyester resin, glue, casein and starch.

UNTLTED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3, 589. 374 Dated June 29, 1971 Inventofls) 1 avoshi Ni sktida It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 2, line 1, has been amended to delete the words "The apparatus" Claim 4, line 1, has been changed to delete "apparatus".

Claim 5, line 1, has been amended by inserting tobacco container before "according".

Signed and sealed this 28th day of December- 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

2. The apparatus A tobacco container for exposing tobacco in a form to be smoked to radiation according to and in the amount of the method of claim 1, which comprises a cigarette case or package having a source of natural or artificial radioactive material therein, means in plate or sheet form for supporting the radioactive material, and means for supporting the tobacco in proximity therewith.
 3. The tobacco container according to claim 2 wherein said means for supporting the radioactive material is a sheet of metal or paper or cloth or synthetic resin and a powder of said radioactive material, dispersed in an adhesive, is deposited over one surface thereof.
 4. The apparatus tobacco container according to claim 3 wherein a solution of the radioactive material is applied to a sheet of synthetic resin and said sheet is dried and perforated whereby radiation from said radioactive material reaches the tobacco via the perforations.
 5. The according to claim 3 wherein the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, urea resin, epoxy resin, polyester resin, glue, casein and starch. 